Michelangelo's David: Admire World's Greatest Sculpture at Accademia Gallery Book your tickets » Michelangelo was only 26 years old in 1501, but he was already the most famous and best paid artist in his days. He accepted the challenge with enthusiasm to sculpt a large scale David and worked constantly for over two years to create one of his most breathtaking masterpieces of gleaming white marble. The Vestry Board had established the religious subject for the statue, but nobody expected such a revolutionary interpretation of the biblical hero. The account of the battle between David and Goliath is told in Book 1 Samuel. Saul and the Israelites are facing the Philistines near the Valley of Elah. Twice a day for 40 days, Goliath, the champion of the Philistines, comes out between the lines and challenges the Israelites to send out a champion of their own to decide the outcome in single combat. Only David, a young shepherd, accepts the challenge. Saul reluctantly agrees and offers his armor, which David declines since it is too large, taking only his sling and five stones from a brook.

David and Goliath thus confront each other, Goliath with his armor and shield, David armed only with his rock, his sling, his faith in God and his courage. David hurls a stone from his sling with all his might and hits Goliath in the center of his forehead: Goliath falls on his face to the ground, and David then cuts off his head. Traditionally, David had been portrayed after his victory, triumphant over the slain Goliath. Florentine artists like Verrocchio, Ghiberti and Donatello all depicted their own version of David standing over Goliath’s severed head. Michelangelo instead, for the first time ever, chooses to depict David before the battle. David is tense: Michelangelo catches him at the apex of his concentration. He stands relaxed, but alert, resting on a classical pose known as contrapposto. The figure stands with one leg holding its full weight and the other leg forward, causing the figure’s hips and shoulders to rest at opposing angles, giving a slight s-curve to the entire torso. The slingshot he carries over his shoulder is almost invisible, emphasizing that David’s victory was one of cleverness, not sheer force.

He transmits exceptional self-confidence and concentration, both values of the “thinking man”, considered perfection during the Renaissance. The story of the creation of David The restoration of David in 2003-2004 It is known from archive documents that Michelangelo worked at the statue in utmost secrecy, hiding his masterpiece in the making up until January 1504. Since he worked in the open courtyard, when it rained he worked soaked. Maybe from this he got his inspiration for his method of work: it is said he created a wax model of his design, and submerged it in water. As he worked, he would let the level of the water drop, and using different chisels, sculpted what he could see emerging. He slept sporadically, and when he did he slept with his clothes and even in his boots still on, and rarely ate, as his biographer Ascanio Condivi reports. After more than two years of tough work, Michelangelo decided to present his “Giant” to the members of the Vestry Board and to Pier Soderini, the then gonfaloniere of the Republic.

In January 1504, his 14 foot tall David was unveiled only to them: they all agreed that it was far too perfect to be placed up high in the Cathedral, thus it was decided to discuss another location in town. The city council convened a committee of about thirty members, including artists like Leonardo da Vinci, Sandro Botticelli and Giuliano da Sangallo, to decide on an appropriate site for David. During the long debate, nine different locations for the statue were discussed, and eventually the statue was placed in the political heart of Florence, in Piazza della Signoria. It took four days and forty men to move the statue the half mile from Michelangelo’s workshop behind Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral to the Piazza della Signoria. Luca Landucci, herbalist and diarist living nearby, wrote down the exceptional event of the transport in his chronicles: “It was midnight, May 14th, and the Giant was taken out of the workshop. They even had to tear down the archway, so huge he was. Forty men were pushing the large wooden cart where David stood protected by ropes, sliding it through town on trunks.

The Giant eventually got to Signoria Square on June 8th 1504, where it was installed next to the entrance to the Palazzo Vecchio, replacing Donatello’s bronze sculpture of Judith and Holofernes”. Michelangelo then kept on working on the finer finishing. That summer, the sling and tree-stump support were gilded, and the figure was given a gilded victory-garland. Unfortunately, all gilded surfaces have been lost due to the long period of exposure to weathering agents. Thanks to its imposing perfection, the biblical figure of David became the symbol the liberty and freedom of the Republican ideals, showing Florence’s readiness to defend itself. It remained in front of Palazzo della Signoria until 1873, when it was moved into the Galleria dell’Accademia to protect it from damage and further weathering. Nowadays, visitors can admire the David under a skylight which was designed just for him in the 19th century by Emilio de Fabris. From a close distance, one can perceive Micheangelo’s passion for the human anatomy and his deep knowledge of the male body.

Note the watchful eyes with carved eye bulks, pulsing veins on the back of the hands, engorged with tension. Admire the curve of the taut torso, the flexing of the thigh muscles in the right leg. The proportions of some details are atypical of Michelangelo’s work. The figure has an unusually large head and imposing right hand.These enlargements may be due to the fact that the statue was originally intended to be placed on the cathedral roof line, so important parts of the sculpture had to be necessarily accentuated in order to be visible from below. Another interpretation about these larger details lead scholars to think that Michelangelo intentionally over-proportioned the head to underline the concentration and the right hand to symbolize the pondered action.

Once again, Giorgio Vasari was able to synthesize the absolute perfection of this Renaissance masterpiece which still attracts, and does not disappoint, millions of visitors every year at the Galleria dell’Accademia in Florence: “For in it may be seen most beautiful contours of legs, with attachments of limbs and slender outlines of flanks that are divine; nor has there ever been seen a pose so easy, or any grace to equal that in this work, or feet, hands and head so well in accord, one member with another, in harmony, design, and excellence of artistry”. (Giorgio Vasari, from his “Lives of the most excellent painters, sculptors and architects”). About Accademia.org Accademia.org is a guide written by a team of locals that love Florence and art! We are not the official site nor do we have a direct connection to the Accademia Gallery museum. Tickets and Tours are sold through third-party travel agencies.

How to Book David | Michelangelo's David, housed in the Galleria dell'Ac… | Flickr jay8085 By: jay8085 David Michelangelo's David, housed in the Galleria dell'Accademia, Florence. It has been there since 1893, and you can see four other unfinished Michelangelo sculptures also at the Accademia gallery. Sculpted between 1501 and 1504 from Carrera Marble, the 17 ft tall statue is supposed to represent David in the moments before his battle with Goliath. Not surprisingly, for the people of the city state of Florence, Michelangelo's statue of David became a symbol of their struggles against larger kingdoms. Done Accademia Gallery in Florence: Home to Michelangelo's David, Galleria dell'Accademia Museum Giambologna's Rape of the Sabines Botticelli's Madonna and Child and Madonna of the Sea The Accademia welcomes the visitor in the Hall of the Colossus, name taken from the huge models of the Dioscuri of Montecavallo which were displayed in this large hall in the 19th century.

It now hosts in the center the plaster model for the stunning marble sculpture of Giambologna’s Rape of the Sabine Women. Giambologna prepared the model as an exercise in creating a tightly-knit group of three figures from just one large block of marble. He did not actually name the sculpture, it was meant to be as a “simple” exercise of skill and it became the first example of such magnificent talent. Your glance will land upon the large number of panel paintings hanging on the four walls, such as works by Perugino, Filippino Lippi, Pontormo, Domenico Ghirlandaio and Bronzino. You might feel overwhelmed at first sight but if you take a seat around Giambologna’s plaster, you may comfortably enjoy this rich Renaissance collection and recognize two of the most important works. Next to the entrance on the right you’ll clearly pinpoint a narrow rectangular chest (Cassone Adimari).

It is the front panel of a wedding chest belonging to the Adimari family, depicting a typical Florentine Renaissance wedding feast and portraying medieval streets, monuments (Baptistery on the left) and precious brocade garments witnessing the customs and wealth of the noble families of the 1450s. The Galleria museum, as Florence's second most popular museum, also often has a long line. Despite the slightly higher cost of entrance, you could reserve your tickets online . Left to the chest, you cannot miss a small shaped panel by Botticelli, the Madonna of the Sea. It owes its name to the dim seascape in the background and its charm is preserved in the gold fine details and symbols defining the two characters. The pomegranate held by baby Jesus, symbol of Christ passion and the star “Stella Maris”, glittering on Mary’s dark blue robe. The Musical Instrument Museum If you go crazy for opera, theater and classic music, the Accademia is one of the best places you should visit. It hosts in fact the Grand Ducal collection of forty instruments exposed in the museum wing belonging to the Luigi Cherubini Conservatory.

The collection unveils that music played a primary role in the official celebrations of the Medicean Court. Discover the roots of the invention of the Piano, created by Bartolomeo Cristofori for the Medici and explore the collection of Harpsichords, violins, violoncellos an wind instruments. Not to miss the original handmade Antonio Stradivari red spruce and maple wood “Medici violin” besides the multimedia explanation of the grandiose festivals arranged in town by the Medici in villas or theaters expressing proudly the richness of the fine cultural atmosphere of the 17th century. Hall of the Prisoners and the Tribune: Michelangelo's David and the Slaves The most famous section of the Galleria is surely the Hall of the Prisoners, displaying Michelangelo’s unfinished “Slaves”. Today the arrangements of the Prisoners along the corridor is a growing crescendo of emotions to the feet of David, exposed under a circular skylight. Next to the Tribuna of David you’ll find a series of paintings by Alessandro Allori which are a delightful vocabulary of the symbolism of flowers.

Chase the key for explaining hidden messages among a triumph of botanical species like tulips, daisies, lilies, lilies of the valley, citrus and forget-me-nots are displayed a few steps from David. Next to the Allori large panels you’ll find the antic roots of the museum, the ancient core of the hospital which now is part of the Galleria dell’Accademia. In 1784, the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Pietro Leopoldo, converted the friary hospital of San Matthew and the convent of San Niccolò di Cafaggio to house the Gallery so students in the adjoining Accademia delle Belle Arti (Fine Arts Academy) could study the greatest works of the past. Exactly in the “Gipsoteca Bartolini” you’ll find traces of the 19th century plaster casts by Lorenzo Bartolini, one of the greatest sculptors and brilliant professors of the Academy. Florentine 13th century and Gothic Painting The last section of the gallery downstairs is dedicated to Florentine Gothic painting.

Gold backed altarpieces by Giotto and his followers like Bernardo Daddi and Orcagna constitute an invaluable art collection coming from the most important Florentine churches and antic suppressed convents. Brilliant colors of the recent restorations will introduce you to the fashion style and hairstyles of the Florentines of the Middle ages and Renaissance! Top floor: late 14th century art Even if most visitors get out from the museum after these last rooms, I do encourage you not to miss the first floor of the Accademia, which is the definitely less crowded but very involving and informative (Giovanni da Milano & the Late 14th century rooms). It will give you the chance to learn how the altarpieces were prepared carefully starting by the selection of every poplar wood central vein. A video focusing on egg tempera painting shows clearly how the drawing was created on the wood altarpiece, carefully decorated first with gold-leaf application and eventually painted with a mixture of natural pigments and egg yolk. You’ll be fascinated by this antic technique described by the Renaissance painter and illuminator of manuscripts Cennino Cennini.

These antic techniques are sill alive in Florence in the fascinating art craft laboratories of the restorers! I adore the Accademia above all late in the afternoon when the museum is surely more enjoyable. The museum offers late openings in the summertime and exploring it with calm allows to meditate on the value of “time” at the age of Michelangelo and the skillful Florentine artisans…slow living, talented enlightened minds and creative patience. The Accademia, Florence - Michelangelo's David The Accademia, Florence - Michelangelo's David Florence Accademia - ticket types, opening times, how to gain admission The Accademia and Michelangelo's David, Florence, Italy - visitor information Second on the 'Florence boxes to tick' list, after the Uffizi , is Michelangelo's David, housed in the Galleria dell'Accademia. There is a copy standing in Palazzo della Signoria, but the boy himself is a walk away, and attracts visitors at the same sort of level as the Uffizi does. The Accademia del Disegno was the first academy of drawing in Europe, and was founded in the middle of the sixteenth century by Vasari, Bronzino and Ammannati.

Relocated from Santissima Annunziata to Via Ricasoli, it became a wider and more general academy of arts and was christened the Accademia di Belle Arti. Twenty years later, courtesy of the Grand Duke Pietro Leopoldo, the school gained its own nearby gallery, the Galleria dell'Accademia, current home of David. David was commissioned in 1501 by the Cathedral Works Committee (Opera Del Duomo). At the age of 26, Michelangelo was given a leftover block of marble that came from the mountains of Carrara, one which had previously been worked on by various other artists. The piece was intended as a monumental work, a testimony to the city's republican pride, not one for close confinement, but was moved to the Accademia in 1873 (from outside the Palazzo Vecchio, where a replica now stands ) to protect it from the ravages of time and the weather. Viewed as a gallery piece, David looks odd; his upper body and head are both out of proportion, and out of keeping with the Renaissance obsession with the perfect harmony of form and proportion.

However, it's argued that this is yet more evidence of Michelangelo's bravura - not only is David an incredible feat of technical skill, the scale is deliberate, as from the original viewpoint of the viewer the upper body would have been much farther away. The gallery is also home to another remarkable work by Michelangelo, the unfinished piece entitled 'Slaves', and there are large picture galleries as well as other works of sculpture to be seen; however, there can be no doubting the true crowd-pleaser, the world famous image of Florence, David. Upon request we are able to organise guided tours of the Accademia (as well as other Florence art museums) - please click here for details. You may view a location map here , a fully zoomable Google map here. Accademia Gallery - David by Michelangelo - Florence Signature of Michelangelo The most enlightenend prince of the Lorraine family that ruled over Tuscany for over a century, the Grand Duke Pietro Leopoldo, united in 1784 all the Florentine drawing schools into one "Academy". He also founded a gallery to exhibit paintings with the aim of facilitating the study of the Academy's pupils.

The seat chosen is the present location of the Museum, a building that originally housed the "Hospital of St. Matthew", enlarged in time through the addition of several adjoining spaces. The consistency and composition of the collection displayed in this museum has changed over time due to the addition of works of art removed from suppressed convents, but also due to loss of works temporarily given or returned to other Florentine museums, in particular to the Uffizi (Bottlicelli's "Primavera" was displayed here for many years). Over time the Gallery has become one of the main museums in town, also thanks to the acquisition of some extraordinary masterpieces, such as the "Pieta" by Giovanni da Milano (14th century); the "Annunciation" by Lorenzo Monaco (15th century); the splendid frontal called "Cassone Adimari"showing a sumptuous marriage procession (c. 1450) and the "Madonna of the Sea"attributed to Botticelli (1445-1510). In 1873, when Michelangelo's David was exhibited for the first time on a specially arranged tribune.

For protection purposes, the statue was in fact removed from Piazza Signoria where it had represented for over four centuries the strengh and dignity of the Florentine Republic. In the early years of the 20th century, this statue was joined by other extraordinary works of art by the same artist, such as "St. Matthew"and the four "Prisoners" originally made for the tomb of Pope Julius II in Rome, but placed in the grotto of the Boboli gardens at the end of the 15th century, and finally by the "Pietà di Palestrina" (whose attribution to the master is still somehow controversial). A capillary organisation and restoration of some of the rooms on the upper floor have allowed the museum to recently integrate the collection with a series of paintings from the 14th to the 16th centuries and to open a room displaying the chalk models of famous 19th century sculptors like Lorenzo Bartolini and Luigi Pampaloni.

THE WOUNDS OF DAVID The 26th April 1527, after the expulsion of the Medici from Florence, unleashed a genuine urban guerrilla focused precisely on the head of David, with Republicans entrenched in Palazzo Vecchio where trying to dismiss the Medici's supporters who pushed at the door. From the windows of the building flew stones and tiles and a bench struck the left arm of David, breaking it into three pieces, recovered by young Vasari and Salviati after being abandoned on earth for three days. Probably on this occasion must have produced the split of the slingshot, clearly visible behind his back, the loss of some tips of curls and a small rupture along the lower lid of the right eye. In 1991 the foot of the statue was damaged by a deranged man with a hammer, destroying a finger of the left foot, promptly rebuilt. The David of Michelangelo 1501 - 1504 Michelangelo’s David has become one of the most recognized works of Renaissance sculpture, becoming a symbol of both strength and youthful human beauty.

David by Michelangelo – Facts & History of the Sculpture Height 517 cm (203.5 in) David is one of the most exquisite Renaissance sculptures made during the early 1500s. This famous work of art was created by Michelangelo, a famous Italian artist. The statue measures 5.17 meters tall, and it is a marble figure of the biblical hero named David. This young man was also the most common subject in Renaissance art, particularly in Florence. Highlights The sculpture was originally intended as among the statues of prophets that were positioned at the roofline of the eastern section of the Florence. Furthermore, it was placed in the public square at Palazzo della Signoria, which was the center of Florence’s civic government. Because of the courageous nature of this biblical hero, it eventually became the symbol of defense of the civil liberties depicted in the Florentine Republic. The artwork is much different from the previous statues made by other famous artists such as Verrocchio and Donatello. David by Michelangelo depicted the young David before he went on to his battle with the mighty Goliath. Hence, the figure’s face appeared tense and set for combat instead of victorious because of his foe’s defeat.

Features Michelangelo’s artwork is his interpretation of the typical Ancient Greek theme of a heroic biblical figure. It features the contrapposto pose, which is a distinctive aspect of antique sculptures. The brave David stands in a tense manner, with one leg relaxed while the other holds its total body weight. Hence, this causes his shoulders and hips to rest at an opposite angle. Moreover, David’s head turns towards his left, and he is carrying a sling at his back. With all these features, many people regard the sculpture as a symbol of youthful beauty and human strength. The statue is also quite large, as compared to the artist’s contemporaries during that era. In fact, most art scholars consider the statue as miraculous, as Michelangelo was able to bring back to life a renowned figure who was already dead. Although there were numerous colossal statues ever created in history, David by Michelangelo has remained as one of the finest and most impressive. It is also important to note that some of the features of this statue seemed quite large, particularly the hands and head. However, the artist did this on purpose since the statue was intended to be positioned on the roofline of the cathedral.

Thus, he needed to find a way to accentuate certain parts that would make them visible when viewed from below. Additional Details This figure appears rather slender from the front to back when compared to its height. According to scholars, this may be caused by the work done on the block even before the artist started carving it. In addition, the statue was regarded as a political image prior to his decision to work on it. Evidently, David has long been the preferred political image throughout Florence, as several artworks that featured the biblical hero were commissioned in most of the significant locations in the city. Conservation and Preservation In 1991, the statue’s foot was badly damaged when a deranged man smashed it with a hammer. Based on the collected samples from that incident, scientists were able to discover that the marble was obtained from Miseglia’s Fantiscritti quarries, which was in one of Carrara’s small valleys. With the degradation of the marble, the statue has undergone its very first major cleaning, from 2003 to 2004. Four years after, there were plans to insulate the sculpture from the vibration caused by the tourists’ footsteps, in order to prevent further and more severe damages of the marble.

Several reproductions of the statue has been made throughout the years. For instance, the plaster cast of this biblical hero is currently displayed at the Victoria and Albert Museum. However, this statue has a plaster fig leaf, which was created when Queen Victoria was shocked about the statue’s nudity. The plaster fig leaf is hung on the figure using two hooks, prior to any royal visits. In the 20th century, the sculpture has become an iconic term for the city’s culture. The statue has also been reproduced frequently such as in imitation marble fiberglass and plaster, which symbolized an ambience of refinement and culture in various settings such as model railroads, gambling casinos and beach resorts. Thus, the artwork is indeed the finest in history because of its grand size, interesting details and features. 5 responses to “David” Michelangelo's 'David' sculpture at risk of collapse, experts say - LA Times Michelangelo's 'David' sculpture at risk of collapse, experts say Michelangelo's 'David' Michelangelo's "David" is seen at the dome of Florence's Galleria dell'Accademia. Michelangelo's "David" is seen at the dome of Florence's Galleria dell'Accademia.

(Fabrizio Giovannozzi / Associated Press) David Ng Contact Reporter Michelangelo's famous statue of the biblical figure David is at risk of collapse, a new report says Michelangelo's famous statue of the biblical figure David is at risk of collapse due to the weakening of the artwork's legs and ankles, according to a report published this week by art experts. The findings, which were made public by Italy's National Research Council, show micro-fractures in the ankle and leg areas. The "David" statue dates from the early 16th century and is housed in the Galleria dell'Accademia in Florence. The results of the report were published this week in the Journal of Cultural Heritage, a publication devoted to research into the conservation of culturally significant works of art and buildings. Researchers found that the carved tree stump at the base of the statue is also at risk because it may also contain micro-fractures in the marble that Michelangelo used. Much of the sculpture's 5.5 tons rests on its left leg and the tree stump. For more than three centuries after it was completed, the "David" sculpture stood outside in Florence's Piazza della Signoria.

It was moved inside to the Galleria dell'Accademia in 1873, and a copy was put in its place in the piazza. Photos In this time when news is disseminated ever more quickly, we asked our critics to list the best of entertainment and culture in 2013 in tweet form. Explore Knight's list here. The new research, which was conducted with Florence University, shows that the sculpture has been damaged over the years by the vibrations caused by the millions of tourists who have come to see the work of art. Passing automobile traffic is also believed to have caused the tiny fractures in the sculpture's marble. Researchers made plaster replicas of the sculpture and used a centrifuge to study the casts. Over the years, conservationists fortified the 17-foot-tall statue with plaster, but the work still appears to be at risk. Reports in the Italian media say that experts want to move the sculpture to an area outside of the city or to an earthquake-proof room in order to minimize the risk of a collapse.

ALSO: David (marble statue) | Michelangelo (video) | Khan Academy David (marble statue) About Transcript Michelangelo, David, marble, 1501-04 (Galleria dell'Accademia, Florence) A conversation with Khan Academy's Dr. Steven Zucker and Dr. Beth Harris. His perfect beauty reminds me of Pico della Mirandola, who imagines God saying to man at the creation, “Thou shalt have the power out of thy soul’s judgment to be reborn into the higher forms which are divine.” Here is Vasari’s description of David, …nor has there ever been seen a pose so easy, or any grace to equal that in this work, or feet, hands and head so well in accord, one member with another, in harmony, design, and excellence of artistry. (Translated by Gaston du C. de Vere) Michelangelo’s David stands nearly 17 feet tall. Remember that the biblical figure of David was special to the citizens of Florence—he symbolized the liberty and freedom of their republican ideals, which were threatened at various points in the fifteenth century by the Medici family and others.

Watch a video about the importance of the figure of David for Florence. . Created by Beth Harris and Steven Zucker. Raphael Video transcript DR. STEVEN ZUCKER: We've walked into the Academia in Florence, which is an old art school, and is now number one tourist destination in Florence, I think. There's a lot of people here. DR. BETH HARRIS: And there's a long line of people waiting outside to get in. And it's hard to blame them, because inside is Michelangelo's "David," and it's unspeakably beautiful. DR. STEVEN ZUCKER: So this is a sculpture that's often seen as a perfect exemplar of High Renaissance art. And I suppose it's important to get the story out of the way first. So it's an Old Testament story, and it speaks to a young man whose name is David. He was brave enough to take on this terrible giant, this terrible enemy Goliath, that all of the older men are too fearful of to confront. And he does so without any armor. DR. BETH HARRIS: He goes to battle against Goliath on behalf of the Israelites, and defeats Goliath with the help of God.

DR. STEVEN ZUCKER: Specifically, with a slingshot and a single rock, but clearly with the help of God. DR. BETH HARRIS: And you can see the slingshot in his left hand, and the rock in his right. And although the Bible says David fought Goliath without armor, it doesn't say completely nude. DR. STEVEN ZUCKER: If you look at the body, of course, it's in a kind of classical contrapposto. The weight is clearly on the right leg. The left leg is free, but the body is engaged in something even more complex and more specific. Much of the body is still relaxed. His right hand is just beginning to tense, and you can see his eyes have darted to his left. His body, it seems to me, is about to swivel and follow the head's movement. And so you have the sense that David has just caught sight of his enemy, and his body is just beginning to tense. He's just preparing to meet Goliath. DR.

BETH HARRIS: It's impossible not to notice the remarkable knowledge that Michelangelo brings of the human body and how it works, and the muscles, and the skeletal structure. And he created this ideally beautiful figure. DR. STEVEN ZUCKER: Michelangelo had dissected the human body, understood its internal structure. And this is a fascinating thought. It was not long before this age that in the West, we had no idea how the human body functioned, when we take for granted now in the 21st Century that we understand the mechanics of the body. And so that kind of analysis of the structure of the body is really an extraordinary achievement. This is a sculpture that is about potential. It is showing this idealized body, but in a sense, we can begin to see ourselves in this kind of heroic stance, as well. DR. BETH HARRIS: This is nearly three times the size of a human being. You can see why Michelangelo later got the name Il Divino, the divine one. DR. STEVEN ZUCKER: It's important to remember that Michelangelo is a relatively unknown sculptor at this point. DR. BETH HARRIS: He's young. DR.

STEVEN ZUCKER: He's really young. He had had one major commission, which is the "Pieta." And then he comes out with this tour de force, which will bring him an enormous amount of attention. DR. BETH HARRIS: It was commissioned by the city government of Florence in 1501. DR. STEVEN ZUCKER: It was originally going to be placed on one of the Tribunes, high atop the roof line of the Duomo in Florence, that is, of the main cathedral of Florence. DR. BETH HARRIS: So it was meant to be seen from very far below. When Michelangelo showed what he had completed three years later to his patrons, the city government of Florence, they were astounded at how unbelievably beautiful it was. And thought there's no way we want to put this high up. We're going to put it in the Piazza, in the square, in front of the Signoria, in front of the government building of Florence. DR. STEVEN ZUCKER: And that's because not only was this sculpture so extraordinarily beautiful, but because the story of David had come to be aligned with the story of Florence.

It was a symbol of the Republic of Florence in opposition to the notion of tyranny. This was a very particular moment in Florentine history. And the Medici had, by that time, actually assumed a great amount of power and had really subverted the Republican ideals of the city. And so this was a brief moment of the flourishing again of these democratic ideals. There are ways in which the pose referred specifically back to classical images of Hercules. And Hercules was a longstanding symbol of Florence as well. So there's a whole set of symbols that surround this figure. DR. BETH HARRIS: By making a colossal male nude, and by that we mean way over life-size, Michelangelo's taking on a type of sculpture that the ancient Greeks and Romans had made, and in a way surpassing what the ancient Greeks and Romans had done, showing that Florence itself had surpassed ancient Greece and Rome, too. We know that Florence saw itself as sometimes the new Athens, or the new Rome. DR. STEVEN ZUCKER: And in fact, an important part of the mythology of Florence was that it had been founded by the ancient Romans, and it was an inherent part of their identity. So this all makes sense. DR.

BETH HARRIS: It makes total sense that the government of Florence, the Signoria, would see this sculpture, and bring it to the Palazzo Vecchio, bring it to the seat of government. DR. STEVEN ZUCKER: As this potent symbol. DR. BETH HARRIS: A special conveyance was built to bring it to the Signoria. There were 14 greased logs that rolled it with the power of 40 men-- DR. STEVEN ZUCKER: Over several days. DR. BETH HARRIS: --from the studio to the Palazzo. DR. STEVEN ZUCKER: And they didn't want it to go up in the cathedral. They wanted it close. They celebrated it. The city fell in love with this sculpture. DR. BETH HARRIS: And saw it as the most powerful symbol they could imagine of their renewed republic. David by Michelangelo - Find out more - Hotel Orto de Medici View Text David by Michelangelo The statue of David is one of the most famous symbols of Florence and was made by a very young Michelangelo.

The original is now located in the Galleria dell'Accademia, but an accurate copy still guards the entrance of the Palazzo Vecchio, the seat of the public life of the city. Actually, the initial project was conceived as a real challenge: to hoist the marble giant very high on one of the bastions of the Cathedral. But once the work was completed, the result was such an awe-inspiring artwork that even the Vasari wrote about the David: 'one who sees this, it doesn’t have to take care to see another work of sculpture made in our time, or by any other maker'. It was therefore determined that her beauty would have been put eye level, so to let everyone have the chance to admire it. David is a religious topic, nonetheless it appeared immediately perfect to fit and represent the virtues of good governance of the Florentine Republic. Even if the subject of David had already been addressed in the past by other important sculptors, no one has been able to make the concentration of the young man who is unable to meet the challenge of winning the giant Goliath. The muscles contract and her eyes who is holding their breath to capture the maximum energy capture viewers in fatal tension of the moment.

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Per maggiori informazioni, alla pagina dell’ informativa estesa vengono fornite indicazioni sull’uso dei cookie tecnici e di analitycs, viene data la possibilità di scegliere quali specifici cookie autorizzare ed è possibile negare il consenso all’installazione di qualsiasi tipo di cookie. I Agree Who owns Michelangelo's David, Italy or Florence? - CNN.com Who owns Michelangelo's David, Italy or Florence? From Hada Messia, CNN Michelangelo's famous marble statue, David, is displayed at the Florence's Accademia Gallery. STORY HIGHLIGHTS The city of Florence and the Italian government are in dispute Who owns Michelangelo's David? The issue is who gets the 8 million euros tickets generate each year Rome, Italy (CNN) -- The city of Florence and the Italian government are embroiled in a dispute -- again -- over who owns one of the world's most famous statues, Michelangelo's David. The issue has been simmering for years. The Florence mayor's office said the debate began in the early 1990, and the city's various mayors have brought it up from time to time.

It's mainly about the bottom line -- some 8 million euros a year in ticket sales at Florence's La Galleria dell'Accademia, also simply known as L'Accademia or the Accademia Gallery, where David is displayed. That money, however, goes to the Italian government, and not the city. Florence Mayor Matteo Renzi recently asked that David's earnings go to Florence instead, because "after all, the David is ours,"' said one of his press officers. The city of Florence has the right to partake in the profits. --Eugenio Giani, president of the Florence City Council RELATED TOPICS Art History While tourism brings money to Florence, it also brings a lot of costs, such as cleaning and security, said the press officer. The mayor does not feel it's fair that the burden of maintaining the city and its centuries-old buildings should fall solely on its citizens. Following the request, the Heritage Ministry commissioned a study to determine who is the rightful owner of David. The ministry's lawyers recently concluded that according to documents they found in archives, David belongs to Italy, not the city of Florence.

The government bases that assumption on the fact that Italy paid for David to be moved from its original spot, in central Florence's Palazzo Vecchio, to L'Accademia, according to Renzi's press officer. Eugenio Giani, president of the Florence City Council, said in a statement Monday that "the opinion of the Roman lawyers is very dangerous," noting all of the city's "heritage" that fills state museums. He points out that Florence's city hall commissioned and paid for the statue's creation in the 16th Century. It stood at the Palazzo Vecchio for nearly four centuries, until 1873, when it was moved to L'Accademia in order to better preserve it. When Italy was unified in 1871, the Palazzo Vecchio was returned to Florence under law, he said. Giani said his records show the new Rome-based Italian government paid to move David because it took the responsibility of "tutelage" over the new nation's heritage. "The state did not for sure want to lay claim to the ownership of the David given two years' prior law," he said.

"Instead, it wanted to carry out a tutelage function, which is part of its competence to this day and by which the city of Florence had agreed to place the David at the Accademia." Many of the paintings and statues in Italian-run Florence museums such as the Uffizzi Gallery belong to the city, Giani said. Some of the proceeds should be given to Florence, he said: "The city of Florence has the right to partake in the profits." Michelangelo, who was a native of Florence, completed the sculpture in 1504. It has been a symbol of Florence's defiance against its enemies ever since. Renzi told the Florence daily newspaper Il Corriere Fiorentino "with all due respect to the Roman lawyers, the incontestable documents held in possession by the state administration are clear: the David belongs to the city of Florence." The Italian Heritage Ministry's Sandro Bondi indicated in a statement Monday he is not ready to hand over ownership of the statue.

Bondi said he found himself embroiled in "an absurd and inopportune" dispute about the statue "against (his) will." His statement referred to the question of the statue's ownership as "a petty matter" -- but one that also should "be addressed in a sharing, planning manner." He said he would work with Florence representatives in such a manner, with a goal of avoiding controversy. Share this on:

Question: Michelangelo's statue 'David' is in the Galleria dell'Accademia in which city?
Answer: Florence